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"every time I look at her, I see the pain in her eyes. There's another part to Abby, and I've taken it away."

"That's bullshit, Jack, and you know it. If you feel like you fucked up her life, you need to talk to her. Abby's the only one who can tell you that. Don't go by what you see in her eyes, fucking ask her. She's your wife, she's the girl you wanted all those years, the one you couldn't live without. I swear to God, if you mess this up - "

Jack glances down at his phone and hits END CALL, cutting Gus off midsentence. Regret fills his soul. Regret for everything. Everything Jack touches turns to ash. Abby is no exception. Gus doesn't see it - not yet - but he will.

Jack lifts the brush and starts smoothing the paint again. His eyes trace over the bare flesh, but all he sees is a curving line with a fucked up gradation. Making the figure look life-like means getting the shading right.

When he moved the ladder to this piece and started painting, Jack wasn't sure why he chose to come back to this one. It was a piece that he had been making before Abby came along. Maybe it reminded him of who he was.

Chapter 19-20

Chapter 19

ABBY

About an hour later, I go back to the studio to get Jack for dinner. I set up something in the front rooms. There's a kitchen in this building because it had originally been the main house. When Jack converted this building to the studio, he didn't remove the kitchen. It's nice.

When I walk into the studio, Jack is still up on the ladder with a paintbrush in his hand. "Hey, hot stuff. Although I really like the stellar view of your ass, you have to come down and eat dinner with me."

Jack laughs so hard he drops his brush. "Is my little angel cursing again?" His voice is light and teasing.

I laugh, "Like I ever stopped. Besides, ass is a body part, not a curse word."

"I think you'd die if you heard it come out of the mouth of a toddler."

"Touche," I admit. "I'll try to be less crass." I clear my throat and look up at him like he's my Romeo. I press my hand to my heart and say, "Jack, oh Jack, you have such a dreamy derriere, but our dinner's getting cold out there. Will you come down before the noodles get mushy? If you do, I promise to bite your tooshie."

Jack looks at me shocked, and then nearly busts his side open laughing. He lets go of the ladder with one hand and turns around to face me, which makes me want to cover my eyes and scream.

"Oh my God! Don't fall!" The smile fades from my face and my hands fly up, like I'd try to catch him if he plummeted to the floor.

Jack steadies himself and says, "Awh, you were going to catch me!" His teasing tone stops when he sees me shaking. My hands are tightly clutched. "I'm all right, Abby. I haven't fallen off a ladder since we were in high school. And that one time was because I was watching you, so don't do anything sexy - or make me laugh too hard."

"Jack," I squeal, not wanting to look at him. The ladder seems so wobbly and he's so high up. "Please come down."

Jack comes down and drops his remaining brushes in the solvent before walking over to me. He cocks his head to the side and takes me by my arms and pulls me close. "Why, Mrs. Gray, are you afraid of heights?"

"No, of course not. I'm just deathly afraid of ladders. Especially really tall ones with my new husband hanging off the top like a monkey in a tree." I shiver just thinking about it.

Jack pulls me to his chest. "I won't fall. I promise. Your little ditty just took me by surprise. I'm all right, Abby." He holds me close until my heart stops hammering like it's trying to bust out of my body.

He kisses my cheek and says, "I had no idea that heights spooked you so much. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't know. It doesn't really come up." I feel his arms around me and I take a deep breath. I know he's fine, but the frightened feeling lingers.

"Are there any other fears that I need to be aware of?" he asks